College How Tall Is Too Tall For A Coed Flyer?

[Ally Hawkins]

That attitude alone will hold you back. I suggest you reconsider your view and realize that...
1. You may be too tall and that's okay.
2. Basing may be where a team needs you.
OR
3. Cheering in college may not be for you.

Attitude really is everything. If you continue to tell yourself that you're a terrible base, you're going to be a terrible base. If you actually put your mind to it and try to improve, you have a much better chance of making a college cheer team.

If you can "only fly," you can only fill a limited role on the team that there are usually a million girls trying out for, but if you're good or adequate at several different positions, you fit many more roles. Consider this, if there are 20 girls on the team, there are at most 5 flyer spots open. However, if you're able to base too, suddenly there are 10 more spots open for your taking!

Just to be clear, I have this perspective as a former 5'5" flyer on a college team.

See, it's not that I don't like to base. I've broken both of my wrists multiple times, and that's left them really weak. It's so hard in my wrists to base, it makes it almost impossible for me. I can still tumble and everything, but it hurts. Basing hurts the most, though. The reason I said I didn't want to cheer if I couldn't fly was because I'd be in constant pain. Will not being able to base well make a coed team not want to accept me?

 

[ScorpioGals80]

My daughter was devastated last season when they put her on a youth 3 team and she was too big to fly. They let her cross over to a junior 2 team where she was able to fly. This season, at a New gym where she had to proove herself again, she is on a junior 3. struggled at first because all the flyers are so small and had to fight for a spot. She is basing and flying on the team now and She loves it. I know she would have been so upset not to fly at all but now she has the best of both worlds. If you keep your mind open you could end up exactly where you want to be. My daughter had only ever based a lib on level 2 before this season and is now basing level 3 stunts. It's always harder for the taller girls and it stinks....hang in there. If you really like cheer, don't let go because you have to fight harder to fly.

 

[GreenStormLucy]

See, it's not that I don't like to base. I've broken both of my wrists multiple times, and that's left them really weak. It's so hard in my wrists to base, it makes it almost impossible for me. I can still tumble and everything, but it hurts. Basing hurts the most, though. The reason I said I didn't want to cheer if I couldn't fly was because I'd be in constant pain. Will not being able to base well make a coed team not want to accept me?

Maybe basing hurts more than tumbling (because tumbling is heavy on wrists too) because your wrists are not used to the stress of basing?

You could ask your coach for excersises that might help, or a PT. Let your coach check your technique, basing with wrong technique can make the pain worse. Are you tall enough to be a backspot? Backspots have to be strong and have a fast reaction, but the actual weight burden on wrists is not as high as while basing.

Please don´t get me wrong, but as a coach i get suspicious when someone says: I can tumble, but i can´t base because of my wrists. (Not only that, same goes with I can stunt and tumble but in jumps my back hurts so much).
It´s another story if athletes asks: What can i do to be a base (tumble, do jumps) without pain?

 

[cheerisloving]

Maybe basing hurts more than tumbling (because tumbling is heavy on wrists too) because your wrists are not used to the stress of basing?

You could ask your coach for excersises that might help, or a PT. Let your coach check your technique, basing with wrong technique can make the pain worse. Are you tall enough to be a backspot? Backspots have to be strong and have a fast reaction, but the actual weight burden on wrists is not as high as while basing.

Please don´t get me wrong, but as a coach i get suspicious when someone says: I can tumble, but i can´t base because of my wrists. (Not only that, same goes with I can stunt and tumble but in jumps my back hurts so much).
It´s another story if athletes asks: What can i do to be a base (tumble, do jumps) without pain?

Adjusting to 115 pound flyer, opposed to someone who is 90 pounds on a bad day, was killer on wrist, after basing the girl for a few weeks, it went away. I still think that tumble exerts more pain on wrist as it's full body weight on your wrist, opposed to weight being distrubuted between three people.